New York: Safe Routes to Transit

Created through New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s 2007 PlaNYC strategic plan, the Safe Routes to Transit program within the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) aims to improve pedestrian conditions in and around transit stops throughout the city. The Safe Routes to Transit program addresses three main transit conditions: unsafe bus stops under elevated subway structures, congested sidewalks next to subway entrances, and incomplete pedestrian infrastructure at bus stops.

The Bus Stops under the Els initiative identified 42 locations in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens in need of safety improvements, such as changing the shape of the roadway and constructing raised bus stops to provide people a safer place to stand while waiting for the bus.

In its Subway/Sidewalk Interface initiative, the agency uses data collected in a joint-survey with the Department of City Planning to prioritize pedestrian-safety improvements at 23 subway stops. Improvements at those locations include widening narrow sidewalks, extending crossing intervals, and reducing traffic congestion near station entrances and exits.

In its third initiative, Sidewalks to Buses, NYCDOT is installing new sidewalks, crosswalks, and waiting areas at bus stops where that infrastructure currently doesn’t exist. The agency has pledged to install up to a quarter-mile of new sidewalk and pedestrian improvements at up to 15 bus stops per year through 2030.